Firing chamber for internal combustion engine



J. J. ELIAS May 12, 1959 FIRING CHAMBER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINEFiled April 24, 1958 vrillil INVENTOR. JO5EPH J [EL/45 YBM M Hmo- MATTORNEYS,

United States Patent FIRING CHAMBER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINEJoseph J. Elias, Sheflield, Ohio Application April 24, 1958, Serial No.730,583

Claims. (Cl. 123-191) This invention relates to internal combustionengines and more particularly to firing chambers for internal combustionengines.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved, moreefiicient internal combustion engine and an improved more efficientfiring chamber for internal combustion engines whereby to increase theoperating efiiciency, economy and/ or work output of the engine overthat obtained by conventional internal combustion engines under the sameoperating conditions.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved, moreefficient and economical firing chamber for internal combustion engineswhich may be an integral part of the engine or a part thereof or may bea separate member adapted to be mounted between the cylinder block andhead of an internal combustion engine without requiring modification ofthe block and/ or head.

Other objects of this invention include the provision of an improvedinternal combustion engine and firing chamber therefor which increasesthe turbulence of the fuel-air mixture within the cylinder and firingchamber and which mixes the fuel-air mixture more intimately andefficiently; which increases generally the overall thermal efficiency ofthe engine; which improves fuel vaporization and combustion; whichreduces fuel consurnption; which causes the combusted gases to act uponthe piston with a jet action and extracts work from the combusted gasesboth during the vertical jet flow thereof and the subsequent horizontalflow; and/or which permits the use of higher compression ratios than isordinarily possible for a fuel having a given octane rating.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a firing chamberfor internal combustion engines which extends into the adjacent cylinderand a piston shaped complementarily to the said firing chamber andadapted to cooperate with said firing chamber to obtain the aforesaidobjects and advantages.

These and other objects and advantages of this inven tion will becomeapparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a broken vertical section of a single cylinder of aninternal combustion engine, showing a preferred form of this invention;and

' Figure 2 is a horizontal section viewed along the line 2-2 of Figure1.

Briefly this invention comprises the provision of an improved firingchamber, for internal combustion engines, which is adapted to modify thestructure and function of the engine and more particularly of thecylinder and piston so as to increase the etficiency of the engine byimproved fuel combustion and utilization of the forces released thereby.Accordingly the invention includes a firing chamber having an orifice ofless diameter than the firing chamber and cylinder and conical exteriorand interior surfaces slanting upwardly therefrom, and a piston,recessed complementarily to the exterior surface of said firing chamber.The orifice providesa restricted passage Patented May 12, 1959 throughwhich the fuel mixture is compressed or forced on both the intake andcompression strokes of the en gine whereby to increase the turbulence inthe fuel mixture and thereby mix the same more thoroughly, minutely andhomogeneously, as well as directing the combustion gases against thecentral portion of the piston, with a jet-like action. The conicalsurfaces of the firing chamber and the piston recess provide directionand ease of flow to and for the flow of gases within the cylinder andfiring chamber and ensure the realization of increased thermalefficiency by properly relating the respective parts and portions of theengine to each other. Further the conical surface of the piston recessutilizes and extracts work from both the vertical and horizontal flow ofthe combustion gases as they jet through the ori fice and spreadoutwardly after initial engagement with the piston.

Internal combustion engines and firing chambers embodying the preferredform of this invention use up to 30 percent less fuel in obtaining thesame power and performance as ordinary engines, or conversely, extractmore power and performance from a like amount of like fuel as well aspermitting the use of higher compression ratios for a fuel having agiven octane rating than is possible with ordinary internal combustionengines. For ease of understanding, this invention is herein describedas applied to a single cylinder of an internal combustion engine.However, it is to be understood that the invention may be used with anengine having a plurality of cylinders, six or eight, for example, andthat the structure with respect to each such cylinder would be similar.

More specifically, as best seen in Figure 1 my invention is adapted foruse with an internal combustion engine indicated generally at 1,comprising a cylinder block 2 with a bore or cylinder 3 in which piston4 reciprocates. Piston 4 is connected to the drive shaft, not shown, bypiston rod 5 in the usual manner. The engine 1 also includes a head 6,having a fuel intake passage 7, intake valve 9, exhaust valve 10,exhaust passage 12, and spark plug 13. Both the block 2 and the head 6are provided with a plurality of interconnected voids or passages 15through which coolant, usually water, is circulated. All of the aboveelements, except the piston as will hereinafter more fully appear, areold and well-known in the art and per se form no part of the presentinvention.

Interposed between the cylinder block 2 and the head 6 is a firingchamber 16 which is preferably a separate member adapted to be mountedbetween the block and head of a conventional internal combustion enginebut which may be formed integrally with the head, for example, ifdesired. When, as preferred, firing chamber 16 is formed separately fromthe block and head, gaskets 18 and 19 are disposed between the firingchamber and the block and head respectively in order to prevent leakageof fuel mixture, combusted gases or coolant.

Firing chamber 16 preferably has cooling means, and is thereforeconveniently provided with a double walled construction defining voidsor passages 21, which are interconnected with the passages 15 in theblock and head by means of appropriate apertures formed in the firingchamber, the gaskets 18 and 19, the block and the head to the end thatthe coolant is circulated within the firing chamber as well as withinthe block and head.

In order to obtain the advantages of this invention and ensure theproper and desired flow of gases within the cylinder and firing chamber,the firing chamber and piston have a male and female relationshiprespectively. To this end the firing chamber has a central portionindicated generally at 22 which depends or extends downwardly, asviewed, into the cylinder 3. Central portion 22 comprises internal andexternal walls 24 and 25 reassume spectively which define, in part,passage 21 and slope downwardly and inwardly from the horizontal portion23 of firing chamber 16. Internal wall 24 defines and provides aninternal open-ended, frusto-conical shaped combustion chamber 27 havinga relatively narrow, preferably flat, horizontal throat opening 23 incommunication with the cylinder'ii and a top opening 30 which is adaptedto be covered by head 6. Top opening 36) of combustion chamber 27 is ofconsiderably larger diameter than throat opening 28, and the valves 9and 10 and spark plug 13' are mounted Within the head 6 so as to bedisposed over and within the top opening 3d of chamber 27 to the endthat chamber 27 has selective communication with intake and exhaustpassages 7 and 12. Wall 25 has a frustoconical shape extending into thecylinder 3 and adapted to cooperate with piston 4 to ensure that propercompression and gas fiow are obtained and also preferably includes afiat horizontal portion 31 adjacent and surrounding throat opening 23 inorder to provide for internal passage 21 and to permit wall 2 and thesloping portion of Wall 25 to be parallel as is preferred. it ispreferred, for maximum performance results, that walls 24 and 5% slopeat an angle of 42 degrees with the horizon tal. Naturally when a firingchamber embodying this in vention is adapted for use with an enginehaving a plurality of cylinders, the firing chamber preferably is madeas a single integral unit with a large horizontal portion 23 conformingto the general shape of the juncture of the head and block and aplurality of spaced depending portions 22 equal in number to the numberof cylinders.

Piston 4- is recessed or dished as at 33 complementary to the externalwall 25 of the firing chamber 16 to the end that when the piston is atthe highest point of its upward stroke, the piston mates with the firingchamber, and there is a minimum tolerance or gap therebetween. Recess 33is therefore also frusto-conical in shape having side Wall 34, which isparallel to the sloping portion of wall 25, a horizontal open top 36 anda horizontal lower surface 37 (top of piston d) which is parallel withthroat opening 28 and the horizontal portion 31 of Wall 25. Surface 37and wall 34 are so related to throat 23 that the combustion gasespassing jet-like through the throat first impinge vertically on surface37 and then spread horizontally striking side wall 34 which extractsfurther work therefrom.

in using a firing chamber embodying this invention causes the infiowingfuel-air mixture (on the intake stroke) to pass through the throat 28and into the cylinder 3, and the contraction and expansion of theincoming fuel mixture as it passes through the throat and into thecylinder increases the turbulence thereof and effects a more efiicientmixture. Correspondingly, as the piston rises on the compression stroke,the fuel-air mixture is again forced back through the throat into thecombustion chamber 27. This induces further turbulence and mixing tocreate a more uniform mixture, and because of the complementary shape ofthe exterior of the firing chamber 16 (wall 25) and the recess 33 (wall34) of the piston 4, all of the fuel-air mixture is forced into thefiring chamber so as to obtain maximum compression and mixing. The shapeof the external Wall 25 of firing chamber 16 and side Wall 34 of recess33 assures that the fuel-air mixture flows easily into the combustionchamber 27 without being entrapped Within that portion of the cylindersurrounding the external wall of the firing chamber.

Once compression is completed, the mixture is ignited, and, of course,upon burning, expands and rushes jet-like through the throat 23impinging against the central portion of the surface 37 of the piston 4,thereby producing an even smooth thrust upon the piston. The combustiongases then expand and flow horizontally and work, a second time, uponthe piston by acting upon the sloping side wall 34 of recess 33.

Upon completion of the power stroke and initiation of the exhauststroke, a firing chamber embodying my inventionais further advantageousin thatthe shape of the external wall 25 of the chamber and thecomplementary shape of side wall 34 of the recess 33 facilitate theevacuation of the cylinder and chamber in the same manner as on thecompression stroke so as to ensure a maximum advantage from theinvention.

Modifications, changes, and improvements to the preferred form of theinvention herein described may occur to those skilled in the art, whocome to understand the precepts and principles thereof. Therefore, it iswished that the patent has a scope consistent with the advance by whichthe invention has promoted the art and not to be limited to the form ofthe invention herein particularly illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder blockhaving a cylinder therein, a piston adapted forreciprocalmovement withinthe cylinder, a firing chamber overlying said block and cylinder and ahead overlying said firing chamber, said firing chamber having spacedinternal and external walls projecting into said cylinder and definingan internal passage for the circulationof coolant, said interior-walldefining a frustoconical shaped open-ended combustion chamber having arelatively large top opening adjacent said headand a relatively narrowcentral horizontal throat opening in communication with said cylinder,said external wall being frus'to-con'ica'l in shape and having a flathorizontal portion adjacent said throat and a sloping portion extendingupwardly and outwardly from said flat portion and parallel with-saidinternal wall and being disposed at an angle of substantially 42 degreeswith the horizontal, said head including 'intake and exhaust passages,intake and exhaust valves controlling said intake and exhaust passagesrespectively and a spark plug, said intake and exhaust' valves and saidspark plug being disposed over and Within said top opening of saidcombustion chamber, said piston having a recess, said recess being offrusto-conical cross-section and having side walls complementary to saidsloping portion of said external Wall of said firing chamber and a flat,horizontal lower surface complementary-to said throat opening and saidflat portion of said external wall'and being adapted to be disposedclosely adjacent said external Wall and throat opening when said pistonis reciprocate'd adjacent said firing chamber and passages in said headand block in respective communication'with said internal passages insaid firing chamber.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder blockhaving a cylinder therein, a piston adapted for reciprocal movementwithin the cylinder, a

firing chamber overlying said block and cylinder and a head overlyingsaid firing chamber, said firing chamber having spaced internal andexternal walls projecting into said cylinder and defining an internalpassage for coolant, said interior wall defining a frusto-conicalshaped, openended combustion chamber having a relatively large topopening adjacentsa'id head and a relatively narrow central throatopening in communication with said cylinder, said external Wall having asloping portion of frusto-conical shape and extending upwardly andoutwardly from adjacent said throat opening at an angle of substantially42 degrees with the horizontal, said head including intake and exhaustpassages and a spark plug having communication with said combustionchamber and intake and exhaust valves' for controlling said intake andexhaust passage respectively, and said piston having a recess offrusto-conical cross-section complementary to said external wall andthroat'opening and adapted to be disposed closely adjacent thereto whensaid piston is reciprocated adjacent said firing chamber.

3. Inan internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder blockhaving a cylinder therein, a piston adapted for reciprocal movementwithin the cylinder, a firing chamber overlying said block and cylinderand a head overlying said firing chamber, said firing chamber aasaosahaving spaced internal and external walls projecting into said cylinderand defining an internal passage for coolant, said interior walldefining a frusto-conical shaped, openended combustion chamber having arelatively large top opening adjacent said head and a relatively narrowcentral throat opening in communication with said cylinder, saidexternal wall having a sloping portion of frustoconical shape andextending upwardly and outwardly from adjacent said throat opening, saidhead including intake and exhaust passages and a spark plug havingcommunication with said combustion chamber and intake and exhaust valvesfor controlling said intake and exhaust passage respectively, and saidpiston having a recess of frusto-conical cross-section complementary tosaid external wall and throat opening and adapted to be disposed closelyadjacent thereto when said piston is reciprocated adjacent said firingchamber.

4. The combination according to claim 3 in which said throat opening isflat and horizontal and said external wall has a horizontal portionsurrounding said throat opening.

5. The combination according to claim 4 in which said internal wall isparallel with said sloping portion of said external wall.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder blockhaving a cylinder therein, a piston adapted for reciprocal movementwithin the cylinder, a firing chamber overlying said block and cylinderand a head overlying said firing chamber, said firing chamber having acentral portion projecting into said cylinder and a central portion ofsaid firing chamber defining a frustoconical shaped, open-endedcombustion chamber having a relatively large top opening adjacent saidhead and a relatively narrow central throat opening in communicationwith said cylinder and an outer wall sloping upwardly and outwardly fromadjacent said throat opening and being disposed at an angle of 42degrees with the horizontal, means for selectively conducting fuel toand exhaust gases from said combustion chamber, said piston having arecess having bottom and side walls complementary to said outer wall andthroat opening and adapted to be disposed closely adjacent said outerwall and throat opening when said piston is reciprocated adjacent saidfiring chamber.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder blockhaving a cylinder therein, a piston adapted for reciprocal movementwithin the cylinder, a firing chamber overlying said block and cylinder,a head overlying said firing chamber, said firing chamber having acentral portion projecting into said cylinder and defining an open-endedcombustion chamber having a relatively large upper opening adjacent saidhead and a relatively narrow throat opening in communication with saidcylinder and a sloping inner wall therebetween and an outer wall slopingupwardly and outwardly from adjacent said throat opening, and means forselectively con ducting fuel to and exhausting gases from saidcombustion chamber, said piston having a recess complementary to saidouter wall and throat opening and adapted to be disposed closelyadjacent said outer wall and throat opening when said piston isreciprocated adjacent said firing chamber.

8. The combination according to claim 7 in which said inner and outerwalls are spaced from each other and define an internal passage forcoolant.

9. The combination according to claim 8 in which said inner and outerwalls are parallel.

10. The combination according to claim 7 in which said throat opening isflat and horizontal and said outer wall has a flat horizontal portionsurrounding said throat opening.

11. The combination according to claim 7 in which said outer wall isfrusto-conical in shape.

12. The combination according to claim 11 in which said outer wall isdisposed at an angle of substantially 42 degrees with the horizontal.

13. A firing chamber for an internal. combustion engine having acylinder block with a cylinder therein, said firing chamber beingadapted to overlie said cylinder and having a downwardly projectingcentral portion extending into said cylinder, said downwardly projectingcentral portion having an inner wall defining a frusto-conical shapedopen-ended combustion chamber having a relatively large upper openingand a relatively narrow throat opening adapted to be in communicationwith said cylinder and an external wall having a frusto-conjcal. shapesloping upwardly and outwardly from adjacent said throat opening.

14. The firing chamber according to claim 13 in which said external andinner walls are spaced apart and define a passage for coolant.

15. The firing chamber according to claim 13 in which said external wallslopes at an angle of substantially 42 degrees with the horizontal.

Romeiser Aug. 18, 1925 Signorini July 16, 1929

